Safe bet to walk to school

BY BIANCA MARTINS23 May, 2012 12:00 AM

BOSSLEY Park Public School pupils ditched their usual transport and walked to school on Friday morning as part of this year's Walk Safely to School Day.

The national event, run by the Pedestrian Council of Australia, aims to promote reduced car dependency, as well as giving children better road safety skills and encouraging them to live an active lifestyle.

The school's principal, Graeme Brims, said he supported the event because it sent the message to parents about the benefits of their children walking to school.

"These include exercising, improving fitness, learning about road safety and it reinforces road-crossing skills," he said.

"Too many children, I think, ride to school."

School captain Marko Gasparovic said it was important because not only did it keep students fit, but it taught them road safety.

"Sometimes children, when they're older, need to walk to places so it's important they learn about road safety," he said.

The event was held just two hours after a state-wide teachers strike.

Fairfield Public School was among more than 2200 schools affected as teachers and principals walked off the job for two hours from 9am to discuss reforms to the education sector.

The government said its reform policy — Local Schools, Local Decisions — would give principals control over at least 50 per cent of their staff and 70 per cent of their budget.

But teachers want the Government to consider a review of the policy over fears it will reduce permanent staff numbers and increase class sizes

"It would be almost impossible to develop a worse policy than this," NSW Teachers Federation president, Maurie Mulheron, told teachers in a video message.

Getting fit: Students trade the car for their sport shoes as they walked to school as part of this year's Walk Safely to School Day. Picture: Wesley Lonergan